Tigers in EST: Clemente Mendoza

Clemente Mendoza was one of the Oneonta Tigers’ best pitchers in 2009. After spending the first two years of his professional career in the Venezuelan Summer League, Mendoza was aggressively assigned to the New York-Penn League, where he rose to the challenge of moving to a new country and facing more experienced competition by posting a 3.19 ERA in 73.1 innings pitched.

Photo courtesy of Roger DeWitt

A closer look at the numbers reveals Mendoza’s low ERA in 2009 was not a fluke. He allowed a normal BABIP (.296) and his 3.31 FIP was only slightly higher than his ERA. Mendoza’s walk rate improved for the third straight season, but his strikeout rate dropped from 7.1 SO/9 in 2008 to 6.1 SO/9 in 2009. This is not a good sign considering the league average strikeout rate in the New York-Penn League was 7.9 SO/9 in 2009.

Mendoza does not have flashy stuff. TigsTown.com says his fastball tops out around 91 mph. Combine this with his pedestrian strikeout rate and the decision to leave Mendoza in extended spring training begins to make more sense.

With his polish and command, Mendoza is a good candidate to receive a promotion to a full season team as an injury replacement. If not, Mendoza will return to the New York-Penn League, where he could be used by the Connecticut Tigers as either a starter or a reliever.